Job-Search Advice from a Senior Marketing Executive
by Jim Siegel
Five O’Clock Club member

Jim recently became a Senior Director for Sutton Partnership, a marketing communications firm. He and his colleagues each have 25 years of experience at prestigious New York firms such as Young & Rubicam, DDB and J. Walter Thompson. Their clients have included Citigroup, J&J and the U.S. Army, and they have specialized in such diverse industries as healthcare, not-for-profit, and travel. Their approach is reflected in their corporate motto, “Smart answers start with smart questions”™.

Working with the disciplined approach of the Five O’Clock Club paid off. This experience unlocked and honed the entrepreneurial spirit that helped me grow my new firm. Many of the 14 lessons I learned from my search may already sound familiar to you—but I know from personal experience that they are true. Here are the 14—don’t ignore any of them:

1. Establish a daily structure as if you were still going to work.

Get yourself out of bed, make coffee, go online, go to the gym, go for a run, have a networking breakfast, meditate or pray, do yoga—whatever works for you. Don’t go back to bed after you walk the dog!

2. Think and act as if you’re running you own business.

Become an entrepreneur promoting a product: you. Work the law of large numbers. You want lots of people to consider you, because some will buy.

The opportunities that come are those you create.

Follow all of these tips from a fellow Five O’Clock Clubber,
and you’ll have a better search.

3. Positive attitude and resilience are key.

Who doesn’t want to help or hire people who are upbeat? Don’t let a turn-down slow you down. Shrug it off and move on.

4. When you feel stuck, remember that you’re the only one who can get you moving again.

Do something, even if it’s only one thing a day—and do something else the next day. One small win creates another. Do something to create the next one to build momentum. Joining the Five O’Clock Club was a kick-start for me, after twice being turned down for jobs that were “perfect.”

5. Remember the Five O’Clock Club’s Stages 1, 2 & 3—they mirror the approach of successful sales people.

The more things you have in the works, the less dependent you are on any one prospect, the less anxious you sound, and the more confident you’ll be.

6. Make job hunting less of a chore and less solitary.

Band together with your Five O’Clock Club friends to advise each other, to cajole and encourage, to get help editing a letter, brainstorm ideas, let off steam and laugh.

7. Do something besides job hunt!

Use your skills to accomplish something meaningful and give yourself something substantive to talk about—beside your job hunt! Volunteer for a cause that moves you or consult somewhere for free. Or both.

8. Base your résumé on Five O’Clock Club methodology.

Remember that HR people and hiring managers skim résumés. Your summary statement at the top should brand you in just a few seconds: What sets you apart? What can you do for someone now based on what you’ve done? State accomplishments in concrete terms that anyone can understand.

9. Edit your résumé ruthlessly.

Not to keep it to one page, but every word should be there for a reason, to make your case. Show drafts to people in your Five O’Clock Club group for comments and suggestions. Remember that it’s really never finished—you can always keep polishing it and reworking it for new targets. But get it out there.

10. Ask for a 15-20 minute networking meeting to gather information—many people will say yes!

Be proactive, be tactful. Obviously the probability of getting a meeting increases when you are referred by someone you both know. Take the pressure off by making it clear from the start that you’re not asking for a job. You’re asking for their insights on the industry, their advice and suggestions—and, hopefully, referrals to other people. The smart folks recognize that meeting with you expands their network too!

During the meeting, keep three things in mind:

a. Internalize your Two-Minute Pitch summarizing Brand You.

I described Brand Jim this way: “I’m a senior marketing and communications director who brings together the right strategic mix of resources to solve clients’ problems and grow their businesses. I’ve done this for Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. government and a not-for-profit institution. As Senior Vice President/Account Director at Young & Rubicam, I helped launch and lead for 13 years the 100 person unit that integrated advertising, direction marketing, Internet, and public relations. Now I’m looking to help grow the next business.”

b. Prepare to ask questions that gain information and help spark ideas for the other person—and let the person talk!

Of course you want to get your points across, but do so within the context of learning from the information you gather.

Jim was helpful to
everyone in his group: encouraging them,
helping members practice their pitches and giving them contacts.

c. Adapt your style.

If you’re prone to energy, that’s a plus. But don’t be so charged up that you overwhelm the person you’re talking to. On the other hand, if you’re prone to be laid back, turn it up.

11. Turn off your computer and get out of the house every day.

Aim to meet with someone every day—at least one person every day—four days a week.

12. Stay on people’s radar screens—so that they’ll think of you when opportunities appear. You never know when that will happen. That’s how my new job came up.

13. Develop your skills at connecting with and motivating your audiences.

This will be an important success factor. The skills you develop at the Five O’Clock Club will not only help you get the next job (and the one after that), but to do well on the job.

14. After you land your next job, keep networking!